Street sweeper brush and mounting



April 1, 1941. R. c. EVANS STREET SWEEPER BRUSH AND MOUNTING 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June so, 195s FE Dz- April 1, 1941 R. c. EVANS N 2.236.817`

STREETSWEEPER BRUSH AND MOUNTING Filed June 50, 1938 4 SheeZS--SheeI 2 ."7 38a 38 l in! April 1, 1941. R. c. EVANS STREET SWEEPER BRUSH AND MOUNTING 4 sheets-sheet 5 Filed June 50, 1938 YE F W m 5 m o M M P April l, 1941 R. c. EVANS 2,236,817

n .STREET SWEEPER BRUSH AND MOUNTING Filed June 50, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 V /3 l l l-f- @W *im* Patented Apr. 1, 1941 STREET SWEEPER BRUSH AND MOUNTING Ronald Clement Evans, Elgin, Ill., assgnor to Elgin Sweeper Company, Elgin, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application June 30, 1938, Serial No. 216,740

6 Claims. (Cl. 15-80) This invention relates to a street sweeping apparatus, and more particularly to a novel caterpillar sweeper brush and brush assembly.

Many forms o-f street sweeping apparatus have been employed in the past for sweeping streets and other surfaces to be swept. The d ierent forms of sweeping apparatus may be roughly classied as caterpillar brush sweepers, rotary brush sweepers, and combined rotary brush conveyor sweepers. Caterpillar brush sweepers have not met with the same degree of success as the other two types of sweepers. There may be many explanations for this, but the principal one appears to lie in the fact that an eiiicient caterpillar brush and brush assembly has not as yet been designed which could be manufactured at a reasonable costr and be rugged and reliable in use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel sweeper brush and brush assembly which is economical to manufacture, which is rugged and reliable in use, and which is extremely eflicient in operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel form of caterpillar brush and caterpillar brush assembly.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel means for securing brush bristles and fibres to a pair of endless articulated chains.

Another and further object of this invention is to provide a novel caterpillar sweeper brush,

assembly made up of a plurality of individual brush units which may be quickly and easily removed and mounted in the assembly.

Another and still further object of this invention is to provide a novel means for adjusting the relative position of the caterpillar brush and for tensioning the brush and brush assembly.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel caterpillar sweeper brush assembly made up of a plurality of individual brush units each of which is comprised of a plurality of bristle holders which may be filled with bristles before being assembled into a brush unit.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth and described with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its construction and organization, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which: e

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a street sweeping apparatus employing a caterpillar brush embodying the principles of the present invention; y l.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view illustrating the lower end of the caterpillar brush assembly;

Figure 3 isv an enlarged fragmentary crosssectional end view of a pair of brush units;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front view, partly in cross-section, of the brush units shown in Figure 3 and taken at right angles to said figure;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional ele-` vational front view of a brush unit and the sprocket and shaft lupon which it is carried, approximately halfl of the width of the brush being shown;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line 6-6 of Figure 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows, with the bristles omitted;

Figure 7 is an isometric, exploded view of a modified form of brush head;

Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional end view of a brush unit embodying the type of head shown in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is. an enlarged fragmentary front view, partly in cross-section, of the type of brush unit shown in Figure 8, showing the manner in which the outwardly diverging end bristles cooperate with ay portion of the sweeper;

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view of a modified form of brush head;

Figure 11 is a side elevational View of amodifled form of street sweeping apparatus employing my novel caterpillar brush;

Figure 12 is a lskeleton View taken along the line VI2--I2 of Figure 'l showingvthe tensioning mechanism illustrated therein, 'but with the other elements of the apparatus eliminated from this viewr for the purpose of clarity; and

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary eleva'- tional view showing the adjusting means of the tensioning mechanism shown in Figure l2.

The sweeping apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings is a street sweeper of the caterpillar brush type similar to that shown in my copending application Serial No. 207,446, filed May 12, 1938, and assigned to the same assignees, and of which this application is a continuationin-part. The sweeping elements of this apparatus, togetherwith their associated elements, are.

mounted on a motor driven vehicle IS, theprincipal component parts of the complete apparatus being the caterpillar brush assembly Il, a dirt and debris storage hopper l2, and a chassis I3 having a .rear-mounted motor I4 thereon (tbe 4brush housing 2 I.

motor being diagrammatically indicated by showing the customary hood enclosing the same). The chassis I3 includes a pair of front wheels I5 mounted on a fixed axle (not shown) and a pair of rear wheels I6 which are preferably mounted closely together on a pivoted steering assembly I1. Steering assembly I1 is connected through any suitable connecting mechanism to a steering wheel disposed in the drivers compartment or cab I8.

To enhance the general appearance of the vehicle I8 and to protect the sweeping apparatus from the elements, a body I9 is'provided which forms a continuation of the cab I8 `and which may be given any shape which will `further enhance the general appearance of the vehicle. In the upper forward wall of the body I9 `a relatively large transverse opening (not shown) is provided to permit access to the upper portion of the caterpillar brush assembly II.

The dirt and debris collecting hopper I2 is situated at the extreme forward end of the vehicle I and communicates directly with the upper portion of the brush assembly I I. Hopper I2 is designed to receive dirt and debris carried upwardly thereto by the sweeping apparatus and to store the 'same until it is desired to empty the hopper I2.

The caterpillar brush assembly II includes, in general, a caterpillar brush and a caterpillar One form of brush housing which has been found to be highly satisfactory in practice is shown in detail and claimed in my above mentioned application Serial No. 207,446. In general, this comprises suitable housing members including side walls, a sloping front Wall and a rear wall 22. In order to permit ready accessibility to the caterpillar brush 20, the rear wall 22 includes a pivotally mounted panel 23 (shown in Figure 2) which preferably extends over a major portion of the rear wall 22.

The caterpillar brush assembly also includes pairs of sprocket wheels 24, 25 and 26, over which ride two endless articulated caterpillar brush chains 21 forming part of the caterpillar brush taking up wear in the chains themselves, an ad- I justing means is provided as shown in Figures 1, l2 and 13. The adjusting means comprises a shaft 28 extending across the brush assembly II between the upper and lower reaches of the caterpillar brush 28. The shaft 28 carries a pair of f arms 29, on the ends of which are journaled a pair of idlers 38 which engage the upper reaches of the caterpillar chains 21 from underneath. 'Ihe ends of the shaft 28 project through the sides of the brush housing 2l in which they are journaled and are provided with arms 3I keyed thereto. The ends of the arms 3| are engaged by tensioning bolts 32 mounted on the sides of the brush housing and provided with lock nuts 33. Thus, adjustment of the bolts 32 will rock the shaft 28 and move the idlers 3l in such a manner as to vary the tension in the caterpillar brush chains 21 and to compensate for wear therein.

The caterpillar brush 20 is built on the two endless chains 21 already referred to. 'Ihe chains 21 are similar to ordinary roller chains but, in the particular form of the invention shown in link are of special shape for the purpose of carrying a pair of brush units 35. The special side plates 34 are of angle form, similar to short pieces of angle iron, one ange of each side plate forming a part of the chain and the other side forming a part of a bracket 34-35, to which a pair of brush heads 35 are secured. The remainder of this bracket 34-36 is formed of a block 35 riveted to the bracket portion of the side plate 34 and having a rectangular portion 31 which lies Within the angle of the side plate 34 alongside of the chain 21 and to which the brush heads 35 are bolted. Since the side plates 34 are arranged in pairs, the rectangular blocks 31 are also arranged in pairs, one on each side of the chain 21, so as to transmit to the chain 21 the loads from the brush heads 35 in a symmetrical manner.

Each brush head 35 comprises a channelshaped back 38 into which the brush fibres 39- which may be of bamboo, for example-are clamped by means of a clamping bar or tube 40, The clamping bar or tube 40 is provided with several studs 4I welded to it and extending through the top of the brush back 33, and nuts 42 are threaded onto the projecting ends of the studs 4I for pulling the clamping tube 40 into the channel-shaped back 38, thus securing the brush fibres 39. The brush bres 39, being tightly Wedged into the channel 38 along with the clamping tube 4U, exert considerable pressure tending to spread the sides of the channel 38 apart. To assist in strengthening the channel 38 `against this pressure, corrugations 38a extending around the channel are provided at intervals and the edges of the channel are strengthened by being formed into outwardly di rected flanges 38o.

As shown in Figure 3, the channel 38 may be made relatively deep and the clamping bar 48 may have flat sides so as to strongly support the fibres 39. The ends of the brush channels 38 and the clamping bar 4i] may be bent up slightly so as to cause the fibres near the ends of the brush to flare out against the side of the brush housing 2l as shown in Figure 5. This feature has been found to be highly desirable and extremely benecial due to the fact that the brush bres 39 at the outer ends of the brush units 35 directly engage the inner surface of the caterpillar brush housing 2I. This feature of extending the brush fibres 39 at the extreme ends of the brush units 35 outwardly at a slight angle so as to engage the inner surface of the caterpillar brush housing 2| assures the absence of any dirt and debris leakage between the ends of the `brush units 35 and housing 2 I.

At each side of each chain 21, each channelshaped brush back 38 has one leg 43 of an angle bracket 43-44 notched over it and welded to it. The other leg 44 of each angle bracket 43--44 lies parallel to the brush back 38 and against one face of the brush fastening blocks 31 carried on each side of the chain 21. Thus, each of the blocks 31 on each side of the chain 21 has a leg 44 of a brush back bracket 43-44 on each side of it, and the two brackets 43-44 are removably secured to the block 31 by a bolt 45. Thus the brush heads 35 are secured to the chains 21 in pairs.

Besides being secured in pairs to the chains 21, the brush heads 35 are further secured together in pairs by end brackets 45-41 and center brackets l- 49. The end and center brackets are 'similar to the brackets '43-44 by which the brush heads are secured to the chains '21, bu-tthe legs 46 and 43 Welded to the brush backs 38 are longer so that the other legs 41 and 49 of the brackets on one brush back lie flat against the' corresponding legs of the brackets on the other-brush back of a pair and can be secured together by bolts'56-5L The legs 48 of the center brackets are notched over and welded to the brush backs 38 in the same way as the legs 43 of the brackets near the chains, but the legs 46 of the end brackets, instead of being notched over thebru'sh backs 38, are Welded across their ends, as shown in -Figure 6, to close them and to support the brush bres 39 at the ends of the brush. rThe end brackets 46--41, as well as the-center brackets48-49fand the brackets 43-44 near the chains, also serve to reinforce the brush backs or channels 38 and'assist the corrugations 38a in strengthening them against being spread open by the pressure of the brush fibres 39 and `clamping bar 40.

From the above description, it will readily be observed that each pair of caterpillar brush units may be readily and quickly removed and replaced. .In other Words, each pair of brush units 35 is separately removable as a subassembly from the entire brush assembly 20. As has previously been pointed out, the caterpillar brush housing 2l is provided with a pivotally mounted lower end panel 23, as shownfin Figure 2, which may be raised to afford ready and quick access to the caterpillar brush units 35. By raising the closure panel 23, 1a service man can readily reach the pair of brush units 35 directly opposite, remove the bolts 45, and remove the pair of brush units secured thereby to the caterpillar brush chains 21, After the pair of brush units 35 has been removed from the caterpillar brush assembly 20, the two units may be separated and repaired or the brush fibres 39 lifted ou-t and replaced.

Access to the individual brush units 35 may also be had by removing the cover 52 on a relatively large opening in the upper portion of the body I9.

A modified form of caterpillar brush ,is illustrated in Figures '1, 8 and 9. This particular embodiment of the modified form of the invention comprises a pair of caterpillar brush chains similar to the chain 21 shown in Figures 2 and 3 but having links approximately twice as long, and with every other link comprising special angle side members to which a brush unit is secured. As shown in Figure 8, the special side members 59 are provided with flanges to which is riveted a channel-shaped brush head plate or box 55 forming part oi a brush unit 53. Each brush unit 53 comprises the channel-shaped brush head plate or box 55, an intermediate grooved plate 56, a pair of fibre supporting or clamping bars 51, and a mass of brush bre 58 clamped rbetween the bars 51 and the grooved plate .56. While the brush head plate 55 is permanently secured to the brush chains, the remainder of the brush head, comprising the grooved plate 56, the clamping bars 51 and the brush bre 58, may be removed .as a unit. By providing libre clamping and supporting members which may be individually removed, it will readily be understood that an extremely advantageous result is obtained, since it is not then necessary to remove the entire caterpillar brush assembly from the vehicle in order to repair or replace portions of the brush.

The particular means illustrated in the drawings for achieving this desired result will now be described. The intermediate grooved plate 56 of the brush unit 53 is provided with two longitudinally extending grooves 62 which are substantially semici-rcular in cross-sectional configuration.- 'A series oftubes 63 are Welded to the top of the intermediate plate member 56 and are of-such a length las to slide freely between the sidewalls 64 of the channel member 55. 'I'he extent to which the intermediate plate` member 56 extends into the channel of the channel member 55 is determined by the edge flanges 65 of the intermediate plate member 56 which engage the-outer edges of the side walls 64 of the channel member 55. `Apertures 66 are provided in the side walls 64 opposite the tubes 63 of the intermediate plate member 56 to permit bolts 61 to pass through the side walls 64 and through the vtubes 63...'Ihe bolts 61 are detachably secured and held inplace by nuts 68 which may be screwed onto the threaded ends 69 of the bol-ts 61.

'Ihe bre supporting and clamping bars 51 are provided along their length with a plurality of threaded studs 16. These threaded studs 10 may be butt-Welded or otherwise suitably secured -to bars 51. The ends of the bars 51 are bent slightly upwards as at 1| for a reason which will presently appear. The base of channel plate 55 is apertured as at 12 opposite the ends of the threaded studs 10 to accommodate variations in the length of these studs. The intermediate plate 56 is apertured also, as at 13, for the reception of threaded studs 10. Nuts 14 are provided for threaded engagement with studs 10, it being understood that these nuts V14 tightly secure the fibre supporting vand clamping bars 51 to the intermediate plate 56. y

As may be seen best in Figure 9 of the drawings, the intermediate plate 56 is terminated so as to snugly t within the end Walls 15 of the channel-shaped head plate or box 55. It will also be observed that the end of the intermediate plate 56 is turned up slightly as at 16 in the same'manner as the ends 1I of the supporting and clamping bars 51 were turned up.

The brush libres 58 are thickly grouped together and hung over each fibre supporting and clamping bar 51, as shown in Figure 8 of the drawings. Note should be taken that the relative spacing of the grooves 62 in the intermediate plate 56 is such that the lower ends of the brush bres 5B overlap as at 11. It should be further noted that the grooved portions 62 of the intermediate plate 56 are shaped to intimately seat the inner intermediate portion of the brush bres 58.

From an examination of Figure 9, it will be observed that the brush fibres 58 at the extreme ends of the brush unit 53 are causedto extend slightly outwardly at an angle due to the slightly upwardly bent ends 1I and 16 of rods 51 and intermediate plate 58 respectively. This feature lhas been found to be highly desirable and extremelybenecial, as pointed out` above f in con- 'nection with the same feature in the form of the invention shown in Figures 2 to 6.

From the above description, it will be observed that the caterpillar brush unit 53, with the exception of thechannel plateA 55, may be readily and quickly removed and replaced. In other words,

each individual brush unit 53 is separately and recesses 19 which are somewhat deeper than the grooves 62 of the intermediate plate 56 of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9. Brush fibre supporting and clamping bars 80 are provided which are similar in shape to the clamping bars l with the exception that the threaded studs thereon are made sufficiently long to extend completely through the head 'I8 Yand through the fastening iiange 82 of link 83 of the endless chain. The fastening flanges 82 of the links 83 are somewhat larger than the fastening anges 60, previously described.

Besides being adapted for use in the type of sweeper shown in Figure 1, the several forms of caterpillar brush described above may be used in the type of sweeper shown in Figure 11. This sweeper comprises the caterpillar brush 9|, a dirt and debris storage hopper 92, and a chassis 93 having a forwardly mounted motor 94 thereon (the motor being diagrammatically illustrated by showing the customary hood enclosing the same). The chassis 93 includes a pair of rear wheels 95 mounted on a iixed axle (not shown) and a pair of front wheels 9S mounted closely together on a pivoted steering assembly 91. Steering assembly 91 is connected through any suitable connecting mechanism to a steering wheel 98. In this form of sweeping mechanism, the caterpillar brush 9| moves in the direction indicated by the adjacent arrow, and its linear speed is substantially greater than the forward speed of the vehicle. It -Will be seen, therefore, that the brush 9i sweeps in the reverse direction as compared to the brush in the sweeping mechanism shown in Figure 1.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will of course be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto, since many modicatons may be made; and I therefore contemplate by the appended claims to cover all such modifications as may come Within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention:

l. A caterpillar brush for sweeping apparatus comprising a pair of endless flexible members, a plurality of brush units having attaching plates permanently secured thereto, a plurality of additional plates detachably secured to said rst plates, a plurality of brush fibre supporting and clamping rods detachably secured to one of said groups of plates, and independent means for l securing said rods to one of said groups of plates and for securing said plates together.

2. A caterpillar brush for sweeping apparatus comprising a pair of endless flexible members, a plurality of channel members permanently secured to said flexible members with their channels opening outwardly therefrom, a plurality of plates each having at least one longitudinal groove therein, a plurality of transversely disposed tubes secured to the backs of each of said plates, said plates being arranged to close the open faces of saidchannel members'with said'tubes disposed withinthe channels of said channel members, and removable rods extending through said tubes and the side walls of said channel members for supporting `and securing said Aplates to said channel members, and brush fibre supporting and ,clampngmembers disposed on the outer side of said plates` anddetachably secured to said plates for holding a multitude of brush fibres in rm engagement with the outer face of said plates.

3. A brush head for mounting brush fibres comprising a base member, a second member detachablysecured to said Abase member, a brush `fibre supporting member detachably secured to said second member, said second member having at least one longitudinally disposed groove therein for receiving and seating the folded ends of a multitude of brush fibres,` and means for securing sairlisupporting` member to said second member independentlyof said base member.

4. A brush head` for mounting brush fibres comprising a base member, a second member .detachably secured to said base member, a brush fibre ysupporting member detachably secured to `said second member, said second member having at least one longitudinally disposed groove therein for receiving and seating the folded ends of a multitude of brush fibres, said brush bre supporting member being arranged to hold the folded `ends of the brush fibres in the groove of said second member, and means for securing said supporting member to said second member independently of said basemember.

I5; In a caterpillar brush, abrush unit comprising a pressed 4metal channel having substantially parallel sides, a bar lying in the channel, means for forcing said bar into said channel, and U-shaped 4brush bres having the bights thereof extending around said bar and clamped thereby in said channel, the edges of said channel being flanged outwardly and said channel having widely spaced, narrow corrugations extending therearound from one edge thereof to the other.

6. In a caterpillar brush including flexible traveling members, parallel pairs of brush units carriedtransversely thereby, each pair comprising two bristle-carrying portions channeled out wardly and connected in the direction of the length of the flexible members to each other in spaced relation and so that the bristles of the portion of each pair overlap, each portion having secured in the channel thereof brush bristles, each of said pair of channel portions being held on the exible members solely by common fas- 'tening means extending and detachable in the direction of the length of said flexible members so vthat removal of said fastening means results in the detachment of the pair of portions from the flexible members.

RONALD CLEMENT Evans. 

